Violence

In today’s media reports about mental illness, there is a tendency to emphasize a supposed link between violence and mental illness. News stories regularly suggest that there is a strong connection between mental illness and crime. But the majority of people who are violent do not suffer from mental illnesses. In fact, people with a mental illness are more likely to be the victims, rather than the perpetrators of violence.

In this section, you will find the real facts about how violence relates to mental illness. With an improved understanding of the issue, you can help to dispel hurtful myths propagated by the media and reduce the social stigma surrounding mental illness.